Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-12-24
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Sixty LIVES WERE LOST.

THE DESTRUCTIVE BLIZZARD THAT
VISITED WESTERN KANSAS,
Il stories Or suffering and Death that
Come from the storm-swept plains
Ths Horrible Experiences made worse
bysHs.chs OF fuel.
WICHITA, Kan, Dec. 2R-Additionals
details Of the results Of the recent blizzard
are received which place 1t as the worst
egerknown ID the state. The number
Of deaths by freezing and starvation is
now believed to be at least sixty. Few
eastern residents OF the state really
thought such an alarming state Of affairs
existed, and they are now nob'y respond
ing to calls for aid. P. Packney, mayor
Of Falkland CLARK coGnty, reached this
city Thursday morning and from him
the story Of the storm IN that county was
learned. He said:
When the blizzard struck the west
crn settlers last Monday they were in
many Instances entirely out OF fuel.
Sunday was a mild and pleasant day,
and no u seemed prepared, for the fear
fnl storm. that followed. About 10
o'clock on Monday snow began falling,
which soon grew into q blizzard. The
windacaale from the north, and the snow
soon became binding. 1t was almost
impossible for anyone to travel in the
storm. Two men named John Henry
and John Golfer, en- ronte to Texas, left
Ashland an hour before, the STERN began.
Their bodies were found the next day on
the prairie five miles west OF town, froz-
EN- stiff. The team. which they had with
them was found only twenty miles south.
The animals had drifted with the wind,
and becoming exhausted, sank In
to the snow and died. AS
soon as the storm ceased
rescuing parties left Ashland. A sod
house was the first entered and a pitiful
sight met the gaze OF the The
entire family Of five, named Kanous,
were found frozen stiff. Some we're sit.
ting bolt upright On stools, while the
mother Of the family lay dead in the bed.
No fuel can be found aboait the place.
The rescuing party gathered the bodies
together and brought them to Ashland,
WHARF they we're buried. Bruce {.
Freddy, d real estate agent of Aabland.
who had been outsip the country looking
at Il claim, was found dead about half q
tniia from the limits Of the town. Ha
started hoIne before the storm over
took him, but lost his way and perished.,,
When Mayor Paclsney left his home no
other bodies had been recovered, but the
town. had been turned into 4 hospital for
those who had not been fatally frozen.
AAgrsat ~nurnbsrshad limbs frozen, which
in several cases nenessitated amputation.
sA g~eitleman from Greeley gives even d
more startling account. Three men left,
Intending to go to claims d short distance
from town. they wandered around all
night, and finally Il OF them, q Mr..
Gihbss sank exhausted In the snow. His
companions could not induce him to con-
tinus the tramp In search Of shelter, and
were compelled to leave him. His body
wasgfo1nd the next day. The other men
kept on, snag5 A aaIIIy seaef1eff i duroutsA
sEs:sss-ssss FsaiH6d steftars BorhI had
heirsaglns. feet and ears frozen, and can
not 1i1a.
The same gent1eman tells d distressing
stors OF the death of an emigrant, to-
gether with his wife and child. They
sMenfatnsa ranch 1iIsIs before the blizzard
became serious, and asked to be taken In
and sheltered, The ranchmen refused to
receive them, and, after wandering on
for some time, the blizzard became 50 ma
we're that the horses became
bic, and turned che WACO over. throw
ing out the mother and child. The baby
soon succumbed, n then the mother
died. The father and husband covered
the bodies with tho wagon box. and
sstatted out to find shelter for himself.
His hallooing iinsllys attracted SETTLERS,
'Rtid the emigrant WAS taken III and
NV, Maa.4 49, = nv g 'waa 1oo lsie. Both feet